Background and purpose: An earlier prospective randomised multicentre study (ARTSCAN) in head and neck cancer patients that compared conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CF) with accelerated radiotherapy (AF) was inconclusive. In the subgroup of oral cavity squamous cell cancer (OCSCC) a large absolute, but not statistically significant, difference in local control was seen in favour of AF. This difference was more pronounced in resectable tumours. The finding raised the hypothesis that AF could be beneficial for OCSCC patients. In addition, the longstanding controversy on pre-or postoperative radiotherapy was addressed. Materials and methods: Patients with OCSCC, judged to withstand and likely benefit from combined therapy, were recruited. Subjects were randomised to either preoperative AF with 43 fractions given as a concomitant boost with two fractions/day to the tumour bearing volume to a total dose of 68 Gy in 4.5 weeks followed by surgery, or primary surgery with postoperative CF, total dose 60 or 66 Gy in 6-7 weeks. For patients whose tumours had high-risk features, 66 Gy and concomitant cisplatin was prescribed. Results: 250 patients were randomised. Median follow-up was 5 years for locoregional control (LRC) and 9 years for overall survival (OS). There were no statistically significant differences between the two treatment arms regarding LRC and OS. LRC at five years was 73% (95% CI, 65-82) in preoperative AF and 78% (95% CI, 70-85) in postoperative CF.Toxicity was more pronounced in preoperative AF. Conclusion: This study does not support that AF prior to surgery improves outcome in oral cavity cancer compared with postoperative CF.

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The purpose of this study was to compare complication rates at the mandibulotomy site between patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy (RT) and those receiving postoperative RT during treatment for oral and oropharyngeal cancer where the surgical procedure required a mandibular osteotomy to gain access to the tumour. Sixty-four consecutive patients treated during the period 2000-2015 were available for analysis. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were followed for at least 1 year postoperatively. A subgroup of patients received RT on several occasions or long before the mandibulotomy, therefore the statistical comparisons focused on the two groups of patients receiving RT on one occasion and within 6 months prior to or following surgery. Seventeen patients presented a total of 29 complications, yielding an overall complication rate of 27%. Orocutaneous fistula was the most common complication. Patients who received RT preoperatively presented a higher complication rate (9/15; 60%) when compared to those who received RT postoperatively (2/31; 6.5%) (odds ratio 21.8, P < 0.001). This study demonstrated fewer complications in the mandibulotomy area exposed to postoperative RT compared with preoperative RT. It is therefore suggested that, when possible, RT should be given postoperatively if combination treatment with RT and surgery, including a mandibulotomy, is planned.

Background Treatment for resectable oral cavity cancer (OCC) often includes combinations of surgery and radiotherapy (RT), but there is no conclusive information on the preferred treatment order. The aim of this study was to assess the costs and cost-effectiveness of two alternative treatment regimens for patients with OCC, reflecting pre- and post-operative RT, from a societal perspective. Methods The study used data from the ARTSCAN 2 randomised controlled trial, which compares pre-operative accelerated RT with post-operative conventionally fractionated RT. Two-hundred-forty patients were included in the analysis of treatment outcomes. Direct costs were retrieved from the hospital’s economic systems, while indirect costs were obtained from national registries. Cost-effectiveness was assessed and a sensitivity analysis was performed. Overall survival (OS) at 5 years, was used as effect measure in the analysis. Results Two-hundred-nine patients completed the treatments and had retrievable data on costs. Mean direct costs (inpatient and outpatient care) were € 47,377 for pre-operative RT and € 39,841 for post-operative RT (p = 0.001), while corresponding indirect costs were € 19,854 and € 20,531 (p = 0.89). The incremental cost, i.e., the mean difference in total cost between the treatment regimens, was € 6859 paralleled with a 14-percentage point lower OS-rate at 5 years for pre-operative RT (i.e., 58 vs. 72%). Thus, pre-operative RT was dominated by post-operative RT. Conclusions From a societal perspective, post-operative RT for patients with resectable OCC is the dominant strategy compared to pre-operative RT.